Race Report

First, the results are in. They got my city wrong (that's only a problem really because I am on the Grand Blanc City Council). I came in 23rd out of 34 in my age group. Official time was 54:32 with a pace of 8:48/M.

Some preliminary things I learned today:

• I was not strong enough for the goal I set. I was determined not to injure myself or puke, so I will never know for sure if I could have shaved 2:32 from my time today, but for my purposes, I could not. Which is fine.
• My training distances must be shorter that what I think they are. For example, the three 8:25 miles I ran felt faster than the ones I run at home. I'm not sure this is a giant problem, because all I need from those training routes is to get consistent measurements. When I train for a race, perhaps I should have a very specifically marked timing course.
• Running in the cold with warm clothes on is easier than the opposite. It was about 54F this morning, and I was a tad overdressed (long running pants and a long-sleeve technical). I was never "hot," but I'll bet I didn't cool as well as I could have. I don't think it made a difference in my time.
• Walking through aid stations is the way to go. I am surprised more people don't do it.

Body Scan & Listening:

• I have a couple of minor but interesting blisters in places I have never gotten them before. I have a slight blister behind the ball of each of my feet. Each is about the size of a nickel. I lanced them both and got some H20 out of there, and now they are fine. I wonder if I was trying too hard to land mid-foot. Also, I notice in training that I now land slightly on the outside of my mid-foot, which feels right. I must not have been doing this today.
• I sometimes get a small blister on my right heel. Not today. There was one on my left heel, and it burst leaving blood all over my sock. It was painless, though--I didn't even feel it. Just noticed the blood (so did Owen).
• Slight soreness in legs, but this is VERY good because now I can tell what soreness is supposed to feel like. This isn't STRAIN, or PAIN. It feels like I ran hard. Good.
• I've been "listening" to my knees and lower legs all day. They aren't talking. There's a slight twinge in my right shin, but I really have to feel for it. I imagine that my legs are adjusting over time to this gradual increase in use and mileage. Again, this is good.

Cultural Observations

• I need to start off by saying that races aren't as much fun as training. For me, anyway. I kept listening to the Zeppelin in my headphones, and I had to think back to my training runs for inspiration! Isn't it supposed to be the other way around? Seriously, I was thinking in my head, wishing that I were at home, and that it was about 20 degrees colder, that I was alone, and that there was no real rush to get to the finish line.
• The above being said, I can tell that races are a great place to learn things about running. For one thing, you get to LOOK at all the other runners. What are they wearing? Check out their strides. Look for cultural norms, tricks, conventions, etc.
• The serious runners knew that it was shorts and short-sleeve weather. I did too, and even went back and got my shorts to change. But it was getting close to the start and I decided "what they heck--I am not going to be hot." That was true, but I might have been more comfortable in shorts and short-sleeves. Scratch that--I am 100% sure I would have been.

Well, this is the culmination of a goal. I wanted to run 10Ks, and here is my first one at a fairly decent time that I can work to improve upon. In a couple of weeks I am doing a 5K, and it might be fun to see it I can do it with a sub-8:00/M pace. I would only need to shave 90 seconds off the first three miles of today's effort to do that. I know that's possible. Why not try?

Half Marathon

If I can run at this pace for 13.1, I can do my half marathon in under 2 hours. I still think that is a do-able goal. If I can shave time off my pace--as I did from 5K, 8K to 10K--I can do it in even less time. But my pace today would do it.

Another 10K?

In about a month, there's another 10K very close to me. Perhaps I should try my mild/hot/fire strategy there and see if I am strong enough to do it.